GULF SHORES, Ala. – Four members of the University of South Alabama men's golf program recorded a top-20 result to help the Jaguars to a second-place finish at the Craft Farms Intercollegiate on Tuesday.

Yannick Schütz led the group after tying for fifth in the individual standings with a 1-under-par 215 total highlighted by a 67 in Monday's second round, while Jacob LeCroy carded two scores of even-par 72 to finish two strokes behind in a tie for 11th place.  Both Mathias Lorentzen and Jordan Plunkett tied for 19th individually as well after posting 220 54-hole totals.

South recorded an 871 group score to end up six shots behind Cincinnati but four strokes in front of fellow Sun Belt Conference member Louisiana.  Matthis Besard of Southern Illinois was the tournament medalist, posting a 4-under-par 212 total to defeat the Bearcat duo of Ty Gingerich and Joey McCarthy by one shot.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Craft Farms Intercollegiate (Eastern Michigan/South Alabama)
Dates: 3/28-30 (Sunday-Tuesday)
Course: Craft Farms Golf Resort Cotton Creek Course (par 72, 7,127 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com//public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=21476
Final results

TEAM SCORES
1) Cincinnati 291-285-289—865 (+1); 2) South Alabama 288-293-290—871; 3) Louisiana 286-294-295—875; 4) Lipscomb 291-290-300—881; T5) Ball State 298-292-292—882; T5) Texas State 299-300-283—882; 7) Eastern Michigan 291-298-297—886; 8) Illinois State 292-294-303—889; 9) Southern Illinois 299-295-296—890; 10) Lamar 310-288-296—894; 11) Western Kentucky 294-302-305—901; 12) Seton Hall 306-295-310—911; 13) Eastern Kentucky 307-303-305—915.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) Matthis Besard, SIU 70-70-72—212 (-4); T2) Ty Gingerich, UC 70-70-73—213; T2) Joey McCarthy, UC 72-72-69—213; 4) Bjorn Gudjonsson, UL 70-68-76—214; T5) Yannick Schütz, USA 74-67-74—215; T5) Carl Hardin, Lamar 75-70-70—215; T7) David Perkins, ISU 67-70-79—216; T7) Cougar Collins, EMU 69-74-73—216; T7) Linus Samuelsson, Lip 72-71-73—216; T7) Charlie Flynn, UL 73-74-69—216.

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T5) Yannick Schütz 74-67-74—215 (-1); T11) Jacob LeCroy 72-73-72—217; T19) Jordan Plunkett 71-78-71—220; T19) Mathias Lorentzen 71-75-74—220; T22) Eli Mitchell* 77-71-73—221; T30) Dawson Atkinson* 75-72-75—222; T39) Will Skipp* 75-74-77—226; T54) Connor Reid 78-81-71—230; T57) Kyle Robinson 78-80-73—231.
*denotes competed as an individual

TEE SHOTS
-This week's field included 75 individuals from 13 schools.
-The Jaguars matched their best finish of the year, having also placed second at the season-opening Jim Rivers Intercollegiate Sept. 13-15.
-It was the first time South played in an event in Gulf Shores since November 2002.
-Six of Schütz' 10 birdies on the week came in the second round as he finished the event tied for the best score in the field with a 1 under total on par-three holes.
-It was the third time in as many outings this spring that the redshirt senior has matched his career-low 18-hole score as well as posted a three-round total below par.
-LeCroy had shot par or better in one of nine rounds in 2020-21 entering the competition before accomplishing the feat twice on the way to recording his best 54-hole total of the season.
-Plunkett has now shot par or better in five of his last seven rounds.
-Lorentzen finished tied for third in the field in scoring on the course's par-four holes.
-Both Dawson Atkinson and Eli Mitchell tied Schütz for the team lead after carding 10 birdies over three days of play, with the latter also one of two individuals in the competition to post two eagles.
-Will Skipp recorded his best 54-hole score and finish in the individual standings this year.
-Connor Reid's career-low 71 in the final round included four birdies while Kyle Robinson posted three birdies to card his low 18-hole score of the tournament on the final day of play.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On the team's play in the tournament: "The guys did a good job playing as a team, we had nine guys playing this week and everybody would have contributed at some point which is what we want.  We play our best when we get production from everyone."
On South's performance in the final round: "Tuesday was the hardest day in terms of the wind, not only did it blow a steady 15mph but I thought it was more difficult because we played the majority of holes with a cross wind which can make controlling your ball and lines more difficult.  Starting five shots off the lead, the guys were really focused and got off to a great start; we had it to 7 under at one point with everybody under par.  The middle stretch on the back nine is a tough set of holes, we had a few hiccups there which stalled our momentum.  But all in all on a day like yesterday, we had five guys in the game and that is when we play solid.  Having a chance to win the tournament on the last day with all five guys in the game is a sign of progress and that we are trending the right way."
On playing in Rice's event next week: "Golf is a game of momentum, we had multiple guys finish in the top third of the field and played a lot of good golf so everybody is excited to get going again.  But Rice is a new event, so we'll need to regroup and get back to preparing as we have a short week."

Up next: USA concludes the regular season at Rice's Bayou City Collegiate Classic on Monday and Tuesday in Pearland, Texas.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.

—USA—